Twilight Princess: The Silent Maiden
by BlindFury the Ultimate
Summary: Twilight Princess AU: After the attack on Hyrule Castle, Princess Zelda finds herself traveling the land alone, nameless, wordless, her identity secret. A stranger to the people of Ordon Village when first introduced, she joins Link in his quest to save the world from the Twilight realm that threatens to consume it all.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Inspired by the "silence" of the protagonist, this fanfic will mostly follow the Twilight Princess story, albeit with some of the events rearranged slightly or dragged out as needed. Any critiques are welcome.

* * *

Twilight Princess - The Silent Maiden: Chapter 1

She saw him for the first time nearly a month after her travels had brought her to the village so close to Hyrule's southern border. Children and adults alike of the small village looked up to the young man with the utmost respect, a kindness he always received with a humble, modest thanks. He did his best to help everyone without any thought of reward, a fact she could not help but notice. He had never talked to her and she, of course, did not make any attempt to speak with him. She could only watch from the outskirts, not daring to actually enter the village itself. At least not yet.

It was a peaceful life for the people of Ordon Village, due to her efforts, but the same could not be said for the rest of Hyrule. She prayed they would remain unaffected by the other dangers lurking beyond the plains of Hyrule, but deep down a part of her new it would only grow worse in time. Making sure the hood of her cloak kept her face obscured by shadow, she turned away from the village and left in silence, as always.

* * *

The next time she saw him was three days later, with her entering Ordon and only staying long enough to trade and get the necessary supplies she could not gather from within the Faron Woods, meeting him by chance just as she was departing. Without her piece of the Triforce to aid her, it had been harder to know when to move and what to do; she had relied on its guidance for most of her life, but in a way it was a bit freeing, to open and rely on the rest of her senses and hone them. This was to be who she was after all, and if there was nothing else she could take from past lessons and experience, she could at least fall back on the philosophy that there was no use denying who she was or what she had done. Three years had been more than enough time for her to get use to living without its light, and now she could hardly remember what the triforce even felt like anymore.

It felt good to be normal, but in a way it was disappointing. She had heard talk, both from the villagers and the soldiers that had served her: fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, holidays and other special occasions, sentimental gifts and deep friendships, and imagined that this was what normal people have. Perhaps she was not truly normal, but away from the castle walls that had once been her home she found herself more alone than she had ever been as Hyrule's princess. At least back then she had a purpose, a responsibility to uphold and those around her that she could turn to for aid. People that she admired, respected and understood. Now she was all alone, far removed from the world she once knew, nameless, wordless, with nothing to say and nothing to give even if she wanted to.

"You don't have to do all that you know," he said to her, "you're welcome to stay if you wish."

She looked at him, hoping he would say more, because she could not ask him to elaborate.

"This," he gestured at the supplies, "It's like you're afraid of staying near the village. We are good people, and we would gladly welcome you if you wished to stay here. Besides, it's not a good idea to go so deep into the woods all on your own. You're too young."

She was nineteen, but he did not look much older. Possibly younger even. There was no use calling him out though. She could not even if she wanted to, so instead she opted to ignore him, discreetly checking to ensure she got everything she had come for as she passed him. He let her go without another word.

* * *

There was a commotion within the village not too long after that encounter. Apparently a monkey had been spotted by several of the children, who had chased after it straight into the forest, their young enthusiasm outweighing caution. He rode after them a minute later, and before long found himself surrounded by a pack of Bulblins that were not originally from the forest, his surprise evident at their sudden appearance. She had been observing from the safety of the shadows, ready to lend aid, but for the moment it appeared she would not need to step in. He was surprisingly proficient with the wooden practice sword he had taken with him, and before long the beasts retreated, and the young child, Talo, was found understandably shaken from the ordeal, but otherwise unharmed.

Unfortunately, the Bulblins attacked again just before they reached the outskirts of the village, greater in number than the handful of scouts he had engaged before. Caught off guard and terribly outnumbered, one of the Bulblins – an elite if its deep purple skin instead of the more common blue was any indication – managed to land a blow that tore through tunic and flesh alike before she was able to intervene. She had not drawn her blade since the event that left her mutely wandering the lands, nor had she any need to until today.

To him, it must have all occurred in a series of quick flashes, a lone fighter using the advantage of her surprise attack to slip her thin blade through the gaps in each Bulbins defences with ease. Two collapsed dead before the rest even realized what was happening, and by then it was already too late for a third before the rest tried to recover.

As quick as her intervention had started, it was over. Several Bulblins lay dead around her, the rest having fled upon realizing their prey was not as helpless as they originally perceived. She had not been completely unscathed however, wincing slightly as she moved her cloak to conceal the wound she had received to her side. It wasn't bleeding too much, but stung greatly. It would have to be tended later.

"Huh," His voice wavered slightly from pain, but the awe was still evident, "Maybe not too young after all."

He looked terrible, weak and bleeding from a much more serious wound then her own. The child Talo was terrified, too scared to move, never mind knowing what to do. Any other woman would have told the boy to run and get help, or assure him she meant no harm.

But because of her current circumstances, she was not so practical.

Hissing slightly as she helped him to his feet, he gripped her with a slightly bloodied palm to ground himself, and she let him, standing still like an anchor as he recovered his bearings.

"Ah! Dammit," He muttered, "Man this hurts!"

Back in the days when she still had the triforce, she would have used it to soothe him a little, at least enough so that he could get home by himself. She had no such option now. She could not just leave him here though, so she looped one of his arms around her to support him and guided him out of the forest, Talo following mutely behind them. The man groaned when his wound throbbed but otherwise remained silent. A few villagers were quick to offer aid upon seeing them, rushing to help one of their own.

"Agh!" He moaned, "Son of a...!"

She tolerated his cursing in silence as she helped make their way to the village's healers. He had his eyes closed at this point, squeezed shut to block out the pain, and did not see her leave after Rusl shouldered his weight for her. She had disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared.

* * *

Two nights later, she passed by the village, debating wether to enter now or wait until after the rain subsided, and he melted out of the shadows like a wraith.

"Hey," He called.

She looked at him from under her hood. Because of the rain, the air felt chilled. She had started sniffling an hour ago but wanted to at least finish a few more things before heading back.

"Um," He looked awkwardly at her, "I wanted to thank you for helping me in the forest earlier. Nice trick, could have done without all the hassle when we got back, but—ah, that wasn't…really what I called you out for. I'm kind of messing this up; thanks. Is all I'm saying." He stared at her uncomfortably.

She ducked her head in acknowledgment and moved to pass by him, but he suddenly blocked her way.

"Say, you could say 'you're welcome' or even 'leave me alone', you know. No need to act like I'm not even there." He sounded faintly annoyed.

Like so many times before, she wished she had not lost her voice. She stared helplessly at him and after a moment, gestured a 'you're welcome' with her free hand.

He blinked uncomprehendingly for a while. "You don't talk that much, do you?"

She smiled hesitantly, ducking her head again in contrition, before moving again past him. He moved to block her again.

"You're that Silent Maiden aren't you?" There was an odd gleam in his eyes. She sniffled and guiltily thought to herself that maybe she should not enter the village tonight. "They say you can't talk! I didn't know you…were you…" He scratched at his wet hair.

She watched him quietly, wondering if there was anything else he needed from her.

"Were you needing some supplies?" He asked, noticing her bag, seeming genuinely curious.

She shifted the bag closer to her.

"Hey, I'm not going to steal from you. I swear."

That was not why she shifted the bag, but she let him think what he would, as she allowed so many over the years to think what they would of her. It did not matter anyway. Something about this man was starting to rattle her; his gaze was open but far too piercing, penetrating. He recognized her, and that was always reason enough to pack up and leave. She looked away, making plans in her head to move from her shelter tomorrow. It was time to head elsewhere, perhaps even towards the larger cities she previously avoided.

"What do you say I buy you some of it for you?" He then flashed a smirk that looked far too comfortable on his face to be an accident, "Owe you at least that much for good intentions, anyway."

A kind offer, but she had decided she did not want to head into the village now. She took a step back.

"Oh come, don't do that," And took a step closer to her, "I'm trying to thank you for helping me. You can't be the only person doing all the good deeds now, can you? That's very ungracious."

An ironic statement, from someone who could be easily referring to himself just as much as he was her. At the same time, the small but insistent ache in her stomach reminded her she had not eaten too many proper meals herself, having gathered only the bare minimum needed. The rain was also starting to make her feel unwell. She ignored it, casting him a pleading glance.

"Listen," he began, "All I want is to repay the kindness you've offered me." He held up a finger, still smiling, "Just this once, and I promise not to bother you again afterward."

She found herself looking around despite knowing that it was no use; no one else was out in the rain right now, which was probably why she attracted his attention in the first place. The man reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, almost crushing in its finality. "Just this once." he repeated.

They went to Sera's Sundries, a small and simple shop where the stifling warmth served to somehow make her sniffling worse. It was quiet now, with only noise coming from the crackling fire and the candles were dim, the smell of smoke and fresh herbs thick in the air. Sera herself was leaning against the till, smiling as the two entered.

"Back for more goods, Link?" The bartender placed a bowl of milk on the table, her cat lapping it up eagerly. "Oh my! Who's this pretty lady you've got with you?"

She kept her eyes lowered, unable to raise them. Her fingers tightened around the strap of the bag and her heart felt like it was racing. She really did not want to be here.

"Someone I owed a favour for earlier," Link smiled at the other woman.

"So I heard," She sounded amused, "Try not to strain yourself too much m'dear. That nasty wound of yours is still healing. Say, maybe you want to get her cloak for her. She looks a bit wet."

_I just have to survive this_, She thought to herself, digging into the reserves of patience she had built up over the many years of being unable to articulate her own feelings.

A quill and a piece of parchment were held out for her.

"Just write down what you need," Link said to her, turning briefly to listen politely as Sera went on about how her cat had caught a fish the previous day. "Don't worry about the cost. I'll pay for it."

His stare was somewhat heavy, and she closed reluctant fingers around the quill, sniffling as she wrote and wishing that her nose were not running because it sounded like she was crying.

"Oh my," Sera's voice was lined now with concern, "Sounds like the poor dear's been out in the rain too long."

"She's hardy," Said Link, though not unkindly. He was still watching her, so she tried to finish writing up what she needed. A ragged cough suddenly escaped her, burning her throat as she swallowed with a grimace.

"You really should get her out of that cloak, m'dear. Young lady, do you want to take it off? Wait... is that...? My goodness! Are you bleeding?!"

Startled, she looked down to her side, only then feeling the sting of her wound suffered protecting Link two days earlier, felt the trail of blood reopened cut seeping into the side of her tunic, creating a red blotch along the ribcage that had grown slowly larger over the last few minutes, unnoticed.

"Oh dear. Link, go get some of the cloths in the back. Don't worry, dear, we'll get you cleaned up in no time."

She tried to back away. Tried to somehow tell them she was fine and did not require their aid. But her gestures and body language went unnoticed by the two, and before she could stop it she found herself stuck in a situation she neither desired nor with any way to escape.

And then she felt it. Something so terrible and familiar, welling up inside her so undeniably. This was how it always began – the sensations were the same as she remembered. The sickly feeling of blood draining from her face, the nauseous tightening of her jaw, the sudden emptiness inside her as her soul tried to shield itself from the inevitable.

_No... No here... Not now!_

But she was too late to do anything. In that instant, her back ruptured in an explosion of agony so intense, dropping her to the floor with its fury. She experienced it in all five senses: as a crashing waterfall of sound, a metallic taste that coated the inside of her mouth, an acrid, eye-watering stench of death, pulsing colours unnatural in their scope; and, above all, the feeling as if claws were digging into both sides of her back, attempting to split her open from the inside out.

Despite the intensity of the attack, she remained fully conscious, feeling every agonizing moment of the ordeal. Everything faded from her surroundings, save for the fire that burned within her flesh and prolonged each second into an eternity. There was nothing she could do about the suffering, only wait for it to end whenever it pleased... and wait...

...and wait...

It took what felt like centuries for the attack to end, its end as abrupt as it had started, leaving her gasping and shaking on the ground. She blinked as her vision cleared and saw Link and Sera looking over her, a mix horror and worry on both faces. They had seen everything, but were still trying to comprehend it all. Not that she truly noticed, fear running rampant within her.

_Get_ _out_. her mind was screaming at her._ Run!_

With a jerk, she scrambled to her feet and darted from where she lay and straight for the entrance. But Link was faster than she thought he would be, and her breath gushed out in a soundless gasp as she buckled over the arm that suddenly looped around her.

"Hey hey there, calm down a second! We just-!"

But panic was rushing through her, instinct making her lash out. She elbowed him in the sternum, and when he only grunted in surprise, yanked her head back to collide with his nose. His arm loosened and she jerked it over her head, then twisted it around, spinning him around before planting her boot on his rear end and kicking hard. He stumbled forward as she flew toward the doors of the shop. Sera's voice called out in alarm, but before the other woman could react, she was out the door, in the now heavy rain. Thunder boomed overhead and she raced down the path, past the fields and homes, splashing in the collecting puddles as the doors to Sera's Sundries parted open again and voices, incoherent, resonated in the night.

She did not stop running until she arrived at her shelter, an abandoned residence that had no wood for fire but was located near a lake for fresh water. She was drenched by then, dizzy and tired, and she slumped near the wall in the darkness and gasped, choking on silent sobs. For crying out loud, she use to be a princess, her coronation as Queen mere days away before circumstances had changed so suddenly. She use to lead the people of Hyrule; when did she become so weak and cowardly?

Why could she no longer talk? It would have solved so many problems. A simple no, a quick clarification that she was fine on her own, all of that would help her avoid what happened today. No one would have seen the one of several attacks she suffered from, nor see her flee in a panic after it was over—which reminded her that she had left her bag and cloak back in the village. Grabbing her face, she tried to calm herself. _Peace... calm... tranquility... Peace... calm... tranquility..._

She should have died during the attack on the castle. It did not make sense that she lived and they all died. She should have been more more prepared — her duty had been to serve the people, not abandon them to their fate. Had she known her judgment was so poor, she would not have been so quick to assume leadership from the more experienced soldiers. And now, what had she become, but a poor wretch for those like Link to pick on? Her tears subsided and she looked into the darkness of the room, shadows flickering as the light from the villages individual fires outside fizzed and puffed. All was silent around her except for the patter of rain, the rumble of thunder.

She should change out of her wet clothes, but could not summon the will to do so. She was so tired. A dark void was in her heart, had been there for three years now, and it had only grown over that time, until she could no longer even take momentary joy in the light of morning, or the steady rhythm of rainfall. She looked at happy families and could only see that she had deprived so many of the soldiers of the same thing because of her own poor judgment, poor assessment of the situation, bad priorities. A leader of a kingdom had to be responsible for many lives and she had taken that responsibility for granted. Really, the black despair in her heart was not nearly equal to the atrocities she had committed all those years.

She hugged her knees and waited listlessly for dawn.

* * *

Morning brought a severe cough. Her throat ached and felt hot and she felt tired and ill. Her clothes were still very damp, and moving inspired chills. She sniffled and tried her best to wipe her nose as she gathered her meager belongings—another bag, some spare clothes, her sword and a modest collection of rupees for the journey ahead. She hoped it would be enough for her to reach another village or city somewhere.

The village was moderately crowded. Everyone seemed to be helping one another, all business with plenty of smalltalk. One of the families was gathered together, enjoying the new day, with a few of the other younglings running about with toys in their hands. She did her best to remain unseen as she moved about, fatigue and illness limiting her progress more and more with every step.

Her coughing kept her off balance and was quick in taking its toll on her; she was aware of herself losing track of time. Her headache snapped her back to alertness, splitting in its intensity, and she looked around to determine how long it had been—surprised that at least an hour had already passed! As she turned her head, she sucked in a breath and tried not to cough. Standing in front of her was Link. He did not appear to notice her, for his back was turned. How had he managed to get so close to her again so suddenly?

Was it the will of the triorce? She shook herself. She did not believe in the will of the triforce, not anymore. If the will of the triforce was to allow so many to die, their names barely acknowledged in the aftermath of their last battle and no one to comfort their families and loved ones, well, she would make do without it. Besides, she was no longer a princess—she was deafened to the triforce's call, and thus had no obligation to answer its non-existent summons.

The young man did seem to show up a lot recently, however. She considered waiting for a later time to depart the village, but perhaps the usual commotion was large enough that he would never notice her? As long as she kept away from him and out of sight, he should not recognize her. She tried to press back the doubt that formed at this thought. _He recognized me in the rain, in the dark._

She should leave now while she still could.

Standing up proved to be too taxing, however, and she realized with a sickening lurch that she could not get up. Efforts to do so resulted in dizziness, and she crumpled against the tree she found next to her, swallowing thickly and coughing into the palm of her hand. Her skin felt like it was burning from the inside, yet the outside was cold, almost freezing. Despite her earlier antagonism toward the triforce, she wished bitterly for it, if only so it could help relieve the fever and the itching in her throat.

If she was seen, no one came to her—if anything they all seemed to avoid her. Everyone outside of friends and family was out for themselves these days, and why not? Even the soldiers of Hyrule were out for themselves, and they were supposed to be the ones to help and protect others most of all. Perhaps it was fair—she had killed so many, caused so much death and destruction from her mistakes; in her hour of need it was fitting that no one should help her.

Deep breaths. Calm yourself. Everything had to do with calm. She made another attempt to stand, and this time succeeded. Her body aligned itself in that instinct to remain upright and steady, and she took a step, two—

Then the world tilted and she lost sense of what was up or down. Pain cracked against the side of her head and she did not even feel herself falling. The ground was cold and felt odd, pressed against her side. It was like it had tilted to meet her body instead of the other way around. How to get up again? She knew the earth was down, but her balance still seemed to spin, and when she braced her hands against the ground, she did not know which direction to push. It was only now she felt something warm and sticky beginning to run down her side, but in her delirium she couldn't make out what it was. Had her wound opened up again?

"Hey!" Link's voice broke through the haze of sickness and nausea, "Whoa, hey I need some help here!" This time there were murmurs of concern, and hands touched her, pulled at her arms to roll her over to her back. She blinked and saw Link, his face looking worried. He did not seem surprised to see her.

_"Can't let her leave like this,"_ She heard someone murmur. She could not even panic over it, she was so sick.

"…_bad shape... wound looks like it hurts really bad too..._"

_"_I'll carry her_,"_ She heard Link announce, and them promptly felt him gather her into his arms. She resisted at first, but quickly surrendered. What use was fighting?

"…_ouse is not too far from here_…"

"Yeah I know where it is. You have anything we can use for this?"

"…_right here. She doesn't look… ...too, Link?_"

"Yeah I know her."

A slight jostling of movement as Link tried to adjust her in his arms, all while trying to not aggravate her condition further.

"_…there while I carry her?_"

"Too long," Said Link, as he lifted her, "I'll probably get there faster if I carry her. She weighs nothing. Pass me those, will you? Think those are hers…Hey, if you can hear me, we're getting you help, alright?"

She did not answer, because she never answered any question for the past three years, but she found herself opening her mouth and breathing out, trying to speak and feeling no response from her vocal cords. Then the world tilted once more and she shut her eyes.

Maybe she was dying. It sure felt awful, but no less so than the violent deaths of her men. She sank into darkness without fighting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I am so sorry this took as long as it did. I promise the next chapter won't take nearly as long as this one did (mostly written up now as a matter of fact). Anyways, thank you to those who reviewed chapter 1 and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

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Twilight Princess - The Silent Maiden: Chapter 2

She was beautiful, even if she was sick and malnourished. There were rings around her eyes, dark circles that spoke of far too little sleep; her hair lay limp and tangled, and the way that her travel-worn clothes hung on her body made it clear that she had not been eating enough. Her expression was bleak and trembling; even in sleep the torments she suffered from did not truly seem to leave her.

The worst of the damage though, as he had discovered accidentally in his rush to aide her, had been dealt across her back. He had been about to set her on the cot in Rusl's home when the cuff of her sleeve suddenly tore in his grip. Trying to pinch the two pieces together, he was surprised to discover the woman's arm was mottled with a layer of bruises and half and still healing cuts. Pulling the sleeve higher showed the injuries continued up past her shoulder. With a hesitant nod from Rusl, Link carefully unlaced the back, dreading what might lay underneath it.

He swore at what he saw.

A huge scar sprawled, a ghastly tattoo, across her back. It was like a starburst, with a concentration in the center that moved outward, peppered with cuts and shadow-like bruises. Her back was smoothed over, for the most part, but the dark, gruesome spiderweb of scars was still clearly visible, inked into the pale skin. How she had survived such a gruesome wound was anyone's guess, but it at least answered the question of what had caused her attack the night before.

And yet in spite of all this, there was still a strength to her character, a resilience that he had never seen in any other person before. Something that continued to keep her alive in spite of everything against her. Where did someone with such internal strength come from?

"Poor girl can't talk," Said Rusl, worry in his voice, "I had been hoping to take a look and see what was wrong earlier when she helped bring you and Talo back the other day, but she refused to get checked; only brought you in and disappeared." Carefully, he opened her mouth. "Throat looks fine though. Could be psychological. Perhaps shock from some sort of past trauma. Probably from the same incident that caused the damage to her back."

She certainly didn't seem the kind to travel the world alone by her own choice. Where in the world had someone like her even come from? Link could only wonder. He wasn't sure what it was exactly, but something about the young woman called to him. A feeling that he could neither identify or interpret, but was still very much guiding him to this woman. Even if she knew how to crack her skull against his nose. He winced slightly at the memory, absently rubbing at the injury. It was still sore from last night.

"Her exhaustion worsened the illness," Rusl continued, "Fever is caused by the wound getting infected; she'll be feeling lousy for a while. It's fortunate you found her when you did, otherwise this could have been far worse."

"Will she be alright?"

"Should be waking up anytime now. She's being given fluids, and her wound's been properly cleaned and bandaged. Once her body feels like it's ready, she'll be awake soon enough." A slight pause, then he turned to Link. "I take it you never got her name?"

Link shook his head. "No. Never said anything to me before." She had that wave-her-hand thing going on, which was weird. Maybe if asked she could her write name instead, or something?

"I see. Well, hopefully we can learn more when she wakes up. Come and get me if anything changes."

The man gave him a light clap on the shoulder, before ducking his head and taking his leave to see to other business.

Link took his seat. She moaned, mumbling wordlessly in her sleep, and rolled over, curling on her uninjured side. Link found himself examining her again. He really wanted to know more about her. Tales of the Silent Maiden had slowly spread around Hyrule, eventually reaching as far as Ordon, each speaking of a woman hooded and cloaked. She helped anyone in need, refusing payment for any task given to her, large or small. No one knew who she was, never got to truly know her before she vanished as suddenly as she had arrived, reappearing somewhere else and repeating the process. What had drawn her to Ordon, somewhere so far and out of the way from the rest of Hyrule?

He sighed and settled back in his chair, shaking his head. Nothing to do now but wait for her to wake up.

* * *

She woke up alarmed, but too weak to do anything about it. Rusl had supposedly given her some special herbs to help lower the fever, but she still looked horrible. Like an artist, in a flood of inspiration, had marred their work with lines that couldn't be erased. In a way, that made things easier. Made this woman less of a mystery to him and more human.

"Hey," He called to her, and then shot out of his chair when she doubled over, a hand clutching at her bandaged ribs. "Hey, hey, take it easy. It's alright now. Don't want you passing out again."

She was not amused. Dismayed, she shoved weakly at him, opening her mouth as if to speak, but all that came out was a harsh sigh. She shut her jaw when no other sound came out and coughed with her lips closed.

Then she coughed again, and again.

"You need to take better care of yourself," Link sat back in his chair beside her as the fit calmed. "Going out around in the rain the way you did—that's not exactly good for your health. You can get sick with things. Especially with your would all infected like that. Seriously, how did it get so badly infected so soon? I'll bet going around all wet and drenched didn't up your chances of not catching whatever it is that you got."

She looked at him with shining eyes, before closing them and succumbing to more coughs.

Right. She was mute and could not talk. Link liked to hear himself talk as much as the next guy, but it would be awkward if his listener could not respond at all.

"Well, I guess I'll go and get Rusl," He quickly got back to his feet, and true to his word came back minutes later with Rusl in tow.

She was a much better patient for Rusl than Link had been a few days ago, but even so she went through it all with a mighty pout that trumped all other pouts. It made her look ten years younger which, given that she was rather young to begin with, was pretty amazing and admittedly endearing. She could not talk, so maybe that pout was really the only way of expressing her displeasure. Smile when happy, pout when angry? Probably a lot more complicated than that.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Rusl asked her kindly, "Someplace warm?"

She nodded, though it was clearly a lie; Link had seen the momentary hesitation in her eyes before she answered, the slight thinning near her lips, much like Talo when caught in some unwanted predicament but not yet willing to admit it.

The young woman looked increasingly distraught as Rusl listed things she had to do to recover, though she thanked him with a sweet smile. He cleared her to go and thanked Link for his aid. Did he intend to see her home? Link looked meaningfully at the mute girl as he affirmed this. Some more supply gathering followed, herbs and healing potions to help her recover, and they were all set.

He made sure to be careful as he picked up her belongings. Nice sword. Thin and surprisingly light, enough so to slip between a pair of ribs, yet strong enough to withstand a heavy impact. It seemed like it cost quite a fortune to make, and she clearly took good care of it. Some spare clothes, all rather travel worn and mostly plain in appearance. Conservative tastes, this one, probably due to how often she traveled from one location to another, if the stories he had heard of the Silent Maiden were true.

She had a handful of rubies as well, and he took those along with the others he had found himself the previous day hidden about Ordon. "Want me to get your medicine, or do you want to come with me?" he asked her.

She looked scared all of the sudden, and did something odd with her hands—was she signing to him? He had no idea what she was trying to say, so he held his hands of in a placating gesture, not quite succeeding in calming her, placing the bag next to the bed before heading back to Sera's Sundries. She immediately inquired on the young woman's condition, still a bit shocked over the attack both of them had witnessed the day before, and he assured Sera that she was better. He returned with the medicines just in time to find Miss Mute standing unsteadily on her two feet, already dressed.

"Hey," He held up the medicines before placing them on the bed, "When you're ready, we can head for your place."

* * *

She knew how to write, which was helpful. She had enough rupees to pay for the extra herbs and medicine she needed, and she also wrote some directions for where they were going. When Link tried to get her to write her name, though, she refused. She was stiff and tense for the entire walk, afraid to look at him, afraid to touch him more than necessary, so he did all he could to help her to put up with her situation; offering a shoulder to lean against if she stumbled, kept his pace slow and steady to match hers, and in general he was ready to catch her whenever she looked about to fall over. She still suffered silently, and he ended up feeling guilty about it all, despite his efforts.

It was not a long walk from Rusl's home to the shelter she mentioned, but she was definitely lying about the warm place to stay. With just one look, Link knew it had no hopes for a fire and only cold water. It was long abandoned and run down, most of the roof missing or splintered. There was mold and pests and frankly it was no wonder she got sick.

"What were you thinking living here?" Link muttered when she took a few steps closer and promptly fell over. "It's a wonder you didn't get sick sooner."

Without warning, she started retching.

"Oh. That's not good."

Ten minutes later, they were sitting on a large tree stump, the girl leaning against him and Link cradling her. He ran his fingers through her sweat-soaked hair. It was surprising how much the gesture soothed him when he had meant to soothe her. She felt tiny, almost fragile in his arms, as if she would crack and shatter if he gripped her too hard. Really, what was a girl like her doing out here living in the woods all alone? She should be in one of the cities, away from the type of life she currently lived.

He pressed her close as she calmed. "Feeling better?" He asked after she was quiet for a while.

She sat up slowly, made a motion again with her hands—Link guessed it was a 'thank you' of some sort—before holding out her hand for her bag.

_Uh, no._ He didn't know exactly what she was thinking, but there was absolutely no way he was leaving her here all alone. "Rusl said you were supposed to keep warm. That doesn't really look warm or dry to me."

Her face was expressionless, and she did not react.

"Come on," He declared, "You can stay at my place." The place he had been living on his own once he had become of age. It was safe and out of the way, located just at the edge of the village's border. Which, given his new ward—And isn't that strange? I have a ward…was probably for the better, considering how hesitant she was to entering the village more than necessary. He held his hand out to her. "Let's go." She still looked a bit wobbly.

She lingered, appearing uncertain.

"Hey," He softened his voice, a task that was easier to do than he would have thought, "I promise I'm not going to hurt you. Even if you did try to ruin my nose."

She smiled apologetically, a lovely smile that did strange things to him, and made a graceful gesture: 'I'm sorry'.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault," He shrugged, still holding his hand out, "We didn't start off on the right foot." A feeling of rightness, of things falling into place, swept over him and filled him with a thrill of anticipation. Something new was starting, beginning right now, and he sensed that unlike the other times over the last few days when his gut instinct directed him, this thing was not dangerous or bad but good, maybe the best thing he had ever experienced in his life. "Let's start over. Hello. My name is Link."

She blinked, and after hesitating for several seconds, smiled the most beautiful and heart-wrenching smile he had ever seen. It had all the character of an individual who had suffered much and had been alone for far too long. She gestured something with her hands, too fast for him to catch, but he assumed it was her name in that bizarre sign language of hers, and then placed her smaller hand in his in an accord of friendship.

Link closed his fingers around hers and inexplicably felt like he had come home.


End file.
